After a
full circle, the new moon appeared once again over the horizon
pronouncing the arrival of Eid Al-Fitr that follows the holy month
of Ramadan, the month in which Muslims observe fasts. For three days
from now celebrations and festivities will rule all over the Muslim
world.

Eid Al-Fitr – A Smooth Affair

Eid Al-Fitr is the occasion to celebrate after observing
fasts during Ramadan. “However the celebration doesn’t mean uproar
and hullabaloo”, describes Mohsin Jalil.

“In contrast, the day starts
with special Eid prayers, for which every Muslim including men,
women and children adorn themselves with
new cloths, use perfumes, and go outside the city and pray in
congregation at Eid-Gah grounds just after the sunrise”, he says
referring to the grounds outside every city and village that are
used for this purpose.

“Words fail”, he adds, “To describe the amazing vista when people dressed in new cloths
walk outside the city proclaiming Takbeer, the Greatness of
the Almighty Allah in unison.”

The special Eid prayer is followed by a brief sermon and lasts for an hour. Once over with
the Eid prayers, come the moments of exchanging pleasantries.

Exchanging Eid Mubarak

Eid Mubarak...

"As soon as the Eid Prayer is over, people
reached to each other for shaking hands. Many times, they even
hug each other."

As soon as the prayer is over, people reached to each other
for shaking hands. Many times, they even warmly hug each other. While
they do it, they do not forget to exchange Eid-Mubarak. Children,
dressed in fantastic clothing and beautiful caps, add glamour to the
vista and people raise them close to the chest to deliver a
tender kiss on their cheeks.

Then comes the time for return journey back home from the Eid-Gah grounds. “On the way when people cross each other, they
don’t proceed unless they exchange Eid-Mubarak after Salam
Alaikum”, Momin Shaheer says. As people reached their homes,
start the time for sharing the Eid eateries.

When the hard work is paid

Sheer Khurmas
rule the Eid Day

"Unless you taste for yourself, you will
not realize how it feels when the first dollop filled with
Sheer-Khurmas reaches your maw"

“The night that precedes the Eid Al-Fitr is crammed with
hectic activities. While the male members of a family swarm the
market for last minute shopping, their counterparts back home
prepare the Sheer-Khurmas along with other delicious
foodstuffs. They do it while applying Henna on their palms,
and of course on the hands of the younger folks”, says Rimsha Areeb.

When ultimately the Sheer-Khurmas are served next
morning after the Eid prayers, it certainly feels that the hard work
has paid. “And unless you taste for yourself, you
will not realize how it feels when the first dollop filled with
Sheer-Khurmas reaches your maw”, says Rubeena chachi
with a smile.

However, all
these excitement is not complete unless Muslims donate special Eid
donations called as Sadeqa-tul-Fitr, meant for
poor folks so that they too share the glories of the festivals.

A Florida pastor called off Thursday a Qur’an-burning ceremony
scheduled for this weekend, claiming he had secured a deal to move
a planned mosque in New York away from Ground Zero, reports
Arab News. “I will be flying up there on Saturday to meet with
the imam at the Ground Zero »

Communist Party of India-Marxist general secretary Prakash Karat
Thursday said that the Allahabad High Court verdict on Ayodhya due
Sep 24 should be accepted and respected by everyone across the
country. “We are of the view that the court verdict should be
»

In a major breakthrough linking the Indian Mujahideen and the
Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), two people have been arrested for the
German Bakery bombing that killed 17 people in Maharashtra's Pune
city this February
»

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